“Whole foods” and “processed foods” are important concepts to understand when eating to lose weight. For this article, I will refer to whole foods and processed foods as “WF’s” and “PF’s”, respectively.

Simple Definitions

WF’s are foods in their natural form, untouched by man; they maintain their natural structure, chemical composition, and have no added substances. PF’s are foods that have been changed, by varying degrees, from their natural form; they have a different structure, chemical composition, and have one or more added substances (synthetic or otherwise).

Examples of WF’s:

Apples

Chicken breast

Asparagus

Almonds

Potatoes

Examples of PF’s:

Apple juice

Chicken Nuggets

Veggie chips

Candied almonds

Potato chips

Looking a bit deeper: the WF – PF spectrum

It must be noted that WF’s and PF’s aren’t two discrete concepts, as they exist on either end of a spectrum. There are absolute WF’s, which are foods in their exact natural form, such as an apple that’s just been picked off a branch. There are also extremely processed PF’s*, which can be complex amalgamations of several natural and artificial constituents, such as cheese puffs. Between absolute WF’s and extremely processed PF’s, there exists a spectrum of foods that are either “more whole” or “more processed”.

The WF – PF Spectrum

On the spectrum below, the further a food is to the left, the more whole it is. The further a food is to the right, the more processed it is.

All images used in this diagram were retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page and are public domain and freely-licensed educational media content. This diagram, as a whole, is property of this website, and requires acquisition of permission before its re-use.

Here are some examples of different WF’s and how they transform along the spectrum towards a more processed state:

* There is no such thing as an absolute PF, as food-processing can go on indefinitely with progressing technology. However, you can’t make an absolute WF any more whole.

**These 2 foods aren’t absolute WF’s, as they have gone through some degree of processing. However, they are the most whole in this example, compared to their more processed forms.

Compositional and digestion differences between WF’s and PF’s

As you can see, there is a large gray area between absolute WF’s and extremely processed PF’s. Processed foods aren’t necessarily unhealthy to eat on a regular basis, it just depends how processed they are. Generally speaking, the closer a food is to its whole form on the WF – PF spectrum, the healthier it is. This is because, when compared to PF’s, WF’s contain greater amounts of water, fiber, molecular complexity, and micronutrients. Furthermore, PF’s tend to contain greater amounts of sugar and salt, which are not healthy to consume in large amounts on a daily basis. To further explain the compositional and digestion differences between WF’s and PF’s, here is an excerpt from an article I wrote entitled “How Modern American Society Undermines Healthy Eating”:

“Whole foods typically have a greater content of water and fiber when compared to processed foods. Water and fiber reduce calorie-density and contribute to a sensation of fullness. Meat protein digests slowly due to its complex molecular structure. Nuts and seeds are primarily fat, and fat digests slowly because it has to go through a time-consuming digestive process called emulsification, which is essentially the splitting of fat globules into separate droplets. Nuts and seeds also contain fiber, which as we already know, contributes to a sensation of fullness. Leafy & green vegetables typically contain high levels of fiber, water, and micronutrients, but do not contain many absorbable calories due to their indigestible cellular structure. However, tuber & root vegetables tend to have more absorbable calories than their leafy & green siblings because tubers & roots contain a substantial amount of non-fibrous complex carbohydrate, which digests slowly due to its…well, complex molecular structure.”

In contrast to WF’s, PF’s generally have:

Lower amounts of water

Lower amounts of fiber

Lower amounts of micronutrients

Increased calorie-density

Increased amounts of sugar and salt

Lesser cost and greater availability

Comparing the general health differences between WF’s and PF’s:

► WF’s have greater amounts of water and fiber compared to PF’s. Water and fiber contribute to a sensation of fullness, which helps prevent over-eating.

► In addition to contributing to fullness, greater amounts of water and fiber also make WF’s less calorie-dense. Lower calorie-density helps prevent unhealthy weight gain.

► WF’s contain more micronutrients than PF’s. Adequate intake of micronutrients is essential for optimal function of the body’s metabolic processes.

► PF’s contain greater amounts of calories and sugar, which can contribute to the onset of chronic diseases such as type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease [1].

Notice that there is less fiber, more sugar, and a greater calorie-density in the apple sauce. The processing removed much of the fiber, and then added sugar, resulting in a greater calorie-density. Still, you get some water and micronutrients from the original apple.

Processing method #2: If apples are sliced and mostly dehydrated, you have dried apple slices:

1 oz of Tierra Farm dried apple slices [7]:

Total calories: 70 cals

Carbohydrates: 19 g

Sugar: 16 g

Fiber: 2.5 g

Calorie-density: 70 calories per 1 ounce

Ingredients: apples

With dried apple slices, the calorie-density skyrockets by over 500% due to a high concentration of sugar. However, dried apple slices do contain significant amounts of fiber, but because there is a lack of water, the high fiber content isn’t enough to keep the calorie-density down. Low calorie-dense foods usually have a significant amount of both water and fiber. In addition, the combination of water and fiber contributes to fullness better than either substance alone. Notice that the ingredient list doesn’t tell the whole story of a food’s nutrition. The ingredient in an apple is of course just an apple, but the same goes for dried apple slices. Yet, the nutrition of each differs greatly.

Processing method #3: If you completely remove all solid material from the apple, you have apple juice:

While the calorie-density of apple juice doesn’t appear that high at 15 calories per ounce, notice that all the carbohydrates are in the form of sugar, except for 1 gram. Also notice that we are dealing with a liquid, which is consumed and digested much more easily than 120 calories in the form of a whole apple.

The water and fiber content must also be considered. In dried apple slices, we had lots of fiber but no liquid. With apple juice, we have the opposite problem, lots of liquid but absolutely no fiber. Remember, the combination of water and fiber results in a low calorie-density and contributes to a better sensation of fullness. In terms of sugar and calorie-content, drinking a glass of apple juice is not that much different than drinking a soda. However, when looking at the ingredients, apple juice appears healthy: water, apple derivatives, and vitamin C. Again, the ingredient list doesn’t tell the whole story of a food’s nutrition.

Let’s investigate the apple juice a bit further by comparing it to a can of soda:

Notice that apple juice can have a greater concentration of sugar and a greater calorie-density than soda! Fruit juice is often believed to be a healthy food, but in terms of weight loss, its consumption should be limited. When attempting to lose weight, it’s important to limit the consumption of calorie-dense beverages like fruit juice and soda. Instead of drinking a glass of apple juice, a better option would be eating an apple and drinking a glass of water.

“Processed” doesn’t necessarily mean “unhealthy”

“Processed” and “unhealthy” are not synonymous. In active populations, highly processed calorie-dense beverages like Gatorade can be beneficial, as they can help individuals sustain exercise [10,11,12], and recover from exercise [13]. When rehydrating from exercise-related fluid loss, consuming electrolyte and glucose replacement drinks (e.g. Gatorade and PowerAde) can actually be more effective than pure water [10,12,13]. Whey protein powder, a milk derivative, is a PF that can ensure adequate protein intake and help build muscle mass [14]. In survival situations, calorie-dense foods are extremely valuable, as they supply a high concentration of energy in a small package.

All content on this website is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. You must request permission before reusing any content.

Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to replace or supersede medical recommendations given to you by your physician. Please consult with your physician before making any significant changes to your diet or physical activity level, especially if you have any preexisting conditions.